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Fuel Cells as an Emerging Technology

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Abstract

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has
been directing a fuel cell research and development
program since 1976. The intention of this
program is to pursue improvements in utilization
of domestic natural gas, coal, and alternate
fuels to produce electric power as a part of the
National Energy Plan. The goal of this program is
to develop the technology base required to enable
private sector commercialization of this new energy
option for power generation to take place. Under
sponsorship of DOE and other Government and private
agencies, fuel cell technology has evolved from
limited applications for alkaline fuel cells in the
space program of the 1960's to large multikilowatt
and multimegawatt power plants capable of utilization
by the industrial sector in many types of
applications. This paper will briefly examine the
technical progress and status of this technology.